Ever since its first appearance in Australia, golf has been one of the favourite sports among the locals. The fascination with the discipline is still very strong, and a large number of individuals play regularly, both professionally and as amateurs. There are also many courses in the area that support the growth of this exciting sport. If you’d like to learn more about the history of golf in Australia, this quick guide is perfect for you.

The History of Golf in the Area

The first-known references to golf being played in Australia can be found in the 1839 diaries of Alexander Brodie Spark, and the games were played at the location of today’s University of Sydney. However, the oldest club in the country is still a topic for debate, as it cannot be determined whether it’s the Royal Melbourne Golf Club or the Australian Golf Club in Sydney. Soon enough, golf clubs began to emerge throughout the area, which led to the creation of governing bodies that used to bring together the clubs within each state. For instance, the Queensland Golf Union was formed in 1914. In 2006, golf associations came together to create Golf Australia - the national sporting body that governs the discipline throughout the country. 

How It Became Popular

Obviously, golf gained incredible popularity pretty fast. However, it was considered the “gentleman’s game” for a very long time. The clubs were pretty exclusive, and only the members of the society’s elite were actually able to afford to play. But this was about to change when Duncan McMillan began lobbying the Sydney City Council to create a public course. After hard work and numerous attempts, his wish finally came through in 1913 with the establishment of the Moore Park Municipal Golf Links. Today, golf is one of the most popular sports in the country, and there are more than 1,530 courses in the area. What’s more, it contributes billions of dollars to the local economy. 

The Rise of Betting

Australians love engaging in sports betting, so it is only expected for golf to be one of their favourite categories. Thanks to the latest tech developments, the practice is seeing a shift to the online world, and the locals can easily find a large number of virtual bookies they can join, both in Australia and New Zealand. They can even explore useful online resources such as the bet365 review NZ that can help them pick the right operator based on real expert and user information. Punters can now choose from an incredible variety of bet types, and they can also find different leagues to wager on. 

The Ever- Growing Participation

Australian golf is seeing participation growth for the fourth year in a row since 17.6% of the adult population has been engaging in it in 2022/23. In the past year, 3.5 million adults played in some way - be it at actual golf courses, mini-golf facilities, or driving ranges. Even the club membership has gone up by 10.2% over the past three years. Moreover, a 9.3% rise was noted in junior membership in clubs from all over the country, and the number of girls and women joining clubs also increased by 12.6%.

Professional Tournaments in the Country

The PGA Tour of Australasia is the main tour for men in the area, and it was founded in 1973. The premier golf tournament is the Australian Open which has been held since 1904 and now is run by Golf Australia. Other important tournaments include the Australian Masters and the Australian PGA Championship. As for women’s golf, the ALPG Tour has been active since 1972, and it also became a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours back in 2009. The most respected events within the category are surely the Women’s Australian Open and the Ladies Masters. 

Golf has a long history in Australia, and since its inception in the country, it has only been growing and developing further. Today, it is a discipline with the highest participation in the area, and both amateur and professional players have an abundance of incredible courts where they can perfect their skills or simply relax while enjoying their favourite game.